Not sure I would want Office on iOS. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is already pretty painful to use when swapping between programs and I highly doubt they could get the various apps to play nice with other in an even less integrated environment.

iWork suite for iOS works great, can import or export MS Office formats and pdf, and is brilliantly touch optimized. I am jumping to conclusion here, but based on my experience with MS, I think Office for iOS would result in a pretty painful experience, cost more than iWork, and be very poorly touch optimized just like it is on Surface.

teknishn:iWork suite for iOS works great, can import or export MS Office formats and pdf, and is brilliantly touch optimized. I am jumping to conclusion here, but based on my experience with MS, I think Office for iOS would result in a pretty painful experience, cost more than iWork, and be very poorly touch optimized just like it is on Surface.

Office on Surface Pro is a painful experience. I can't imagine what it would be like on iOS.

/Office jumped the shark when it became ribbonize//most are realizing they don't need it anymore

SN1987a goes boom:Majick Thise: I saw a couple of MS Surface pads in beastbuy yesterday. They did feel good in the hand but since neither one would boot up that's about all I can say.

If they are floor models, they probably ran out of juice and weren't recharged by the BB folks.

All the (8) iPads had power cables connected and were working. The (2) Surfaces had 2 cables connected one was security and I assume the other was power/data but maybe not. Knowing BB they probably just forgot to plug them in. Our BB has an Apple specialist on the floor all the time but lets the regular staff handle everything else.

I bought Apple's word processing app for my iPad like 2 years ago for like $10, and I have never once used it. I think you'd at least need a keyboard before you could use an iPad for word processing. Also, the lack of a USB port on the iPad makes me not want to develop spreadsheets, presentations and documents on it, because they wouldn't be as easy to quickly move.

Blackberry has been putting some kind of stripped down version of Office on their devices for years. It works pretty well, especially if you want to give a PP presentation without carrying a laptop around.

skazzytl:I bought Apple's word processing app for my iPad like 2 years ago for like $10, and I have never once used it. I think you'd at least need a keyboard before you could use an iPad for word processing. Also, the lack of a USB port on the iPad makes me not want to develop spreadsheets, presentations and documents on it, because they wouldn't be as easy to quickly move.

I'm going back to school full time right now and between Pages and Keynote I use Apple's productivity software all the time. If I have to type a paper I usually use my laptop but for taking notes in class or other similar tasks, my iPad has Ben nothing but great.

skazzytl:I bought Apple's word processing app for my iPad like 2 years ago for like $10, and I have never once used it. I think you'd at least need a keyboard before you could use an iPad for word processing. Also, the lack of a USB port on the iPad makes me not want to develop spreadsheets, presentations and documents on it, because they wouldn't be as easy to quickly move.

You can plug in a keyboard and then use iCloud to sync everything to the desktop. Sort of a pain, but on the other hand if all you want is a basic word processor to use on the go, you could do a lot worse than the iPad with regard to weight and battery life.

There are two reasons, first and foremost it's their only killer app in the mobile space - it would be like offering Halo on the PS3: They'll only do it when they're out of the game.

The second is that - as with their current difficulties with the iOS SkyDrive are proving - They would be forced to give Apple 30% of any revenue created by paid subscription. Not just now, but forevermore, for as long as that account is open. Doesn't matter if next year I ditch Apple and am only using Android or Windows devices, I initiated the subscription from within the Apple ecosystem (In App purchase), so Apple will continue to take their cut. It's in the T's & C's of developing for the App Store.

In the case of SkyDrive Microsoft had a link to visit the website to initiate a subscription, but Apple doesn't allow you to bypass the Apple ecosystem to make payments. Even when a new version was submitted with the offending link removed, Apple rejected it, as they'd already started down the road of a subscription model.

I know Ballmer is determined to drive MS into irrelevancy, but is the alternative any better?

My household is iOS, but I am mulling over the cost of swapping ecosystems. I can't imagine how BS the PC market would be if MS had pulled this shiat in the boom of the PC era...

Majick Thise:SN1987a goes boom: Majick Thise: I saw a couple of MS Surface pads in beastbuy yesterday. They did feel good in the hand but since neither one would boot up that's about all I can say.

If they are floor models, they probably ran out of juice and weren't recharged by the BB folks.

All the (8) iPads had power cables connected and were working. The (2) Surfaces had 2 cables connected one was security and I assume the other was power/data but maybe not. Knowing BB they probably just forgot to plug them in. Our BB has an Apple specialist on the floor all the time but lets the regular staff handle everything else.

The kickstand did not seem flimsy at all despite what it looks like.

Like I say, I'd be more quick to assume that it was a BB issue than a MS issue, given my own past dealings with them.

I had no problem writing on Pages and transferring to Office, and back again. Pages is, in fact, a superior word processor in many ways. If there's one thing I do miss now that I don't have an iOS device, it's Pages.

I'm sure the rest of iWork is equally decent and compatible. Screw MS. Apple's got this one in hand.

There are a dozen apps for $15 or less that offer access to just about everything. The only thing that would sell at $60 is if the bundled in Publisher and Vizio, and they won't do that.

$60 for standard spreadsheet and word processing software is absurd on any platform in this day and age- it should be treated as standard functionality and included with the OS since it's been considered standard functionality for very nearly 3 decades now- almost every business computer since the 1980's has run a wordprocessor and a spreadsheet, it's a farking industry standard and should be treated as such.

iOS is showing its age... its boring. Apple can only make screens so big and make it run so fast. I doub't very much whether you will see a revamped UI, since it is Steve Jobs legacy.

Given the above, and the inevitable downfall of Apple (post Steve Jobs).. which would Microsoft (who has it's own tablet) spend time and money that is better spent enhancing it's own product.

People also forget that Microsoft was basically forced by the courts to provide MS Office for the Mac as part of its anti-trust lawsuits.. it was also part of the deal when Bill Gates invested money to help save Apple when Steve Jobs came back.

The landscape has changed since then and it makes no sense for Microsoft to spend the time and effort to port Office to iOS.

dwrash:iOS is showing its age... its boring. Apple can only make screens so big and make it run so fast. I doub't very much whether you will see a revamped UI, since it is Steve Jobs legacy.

Why does the iOS UI need to be revamped? It's simple, intuitive, and does everything it needs to do (mainly launch apps and show notifications) pretty darn well already.

I'm sure it could stand for some tweaking and minor improvements, but I'm just not seeing why a revamping would be necessary or even desirable. Making big changes just for the sake of change is how you get into trouble. iOS is simple (that's its strongest quality) and Apple's main focus should be on keeping it simple.

Microsoft is losing out big by not realizing just how incredibly awesome OneNote is. They should be pushing hard to sell it to everyone with a tablet, regardless of OS, or touch-screen laptop. Honestly, a cheap stylus-included Ultrabook with OneNote should be required materials for anyone attending college.